# Freshbooks

> FreshBooks integration via Apideck's Accounting unified API — same methods work across every connector in Accounting, switch by changing `serviceId`. Use when the user wants to read, write, or reconcile invoices, bills, payments, ledger accounts, and journal entries in FreshBooks. Routes through Apideck with serviceId "freshbooks".

- Skill: `apideck-libraries/freshbooks` (Agent Skill, multi-file: 2 files)
- Install (CLI): `npx skillmds@latest add apideck-libraries/freshbooks`
- Raw SKILL.md: https://api.skillmd.com/api/skills/apideck-libraries/freshbooks/raw
- Safety review: pending
- Works with: Claude Code, Claude.ai, OpenAI Codex
- Category: Finance & Business
- License: Apache-2.0
- Author: apideck-libraries (https://skillmd.com/u/apideck-libraries)
- Updated: 2026-09-10
- Page: https://skillmd.com/skills/apideck-libraries/freshbooks

---


# FreshBooks (via Apideck)

Access FreshBooks through Apideck's **Accounting** unified API — one of 34 Accounting connectors that share the same method surface. Code you write here ports to Access Financials, Acumatica, banqUP and 30 other Accounting connectors by changing a single `serviceId` string. Apideck handles auth, pagination, rate limiting, and retries so you don't write per-tenant FreshBooks plumbing.

## Quick facts

- **Apideck serviceId:** `freshbooks`
- **Unified API:** Accounting
- **Auth type:** oauth2
- **Gotchas:** [page](https://developers.apideck.com/apis/accounting/freshbooks/gotchas)
- **FreshBooks docs:** https://www.freshbooks.com/api/start
- **Homepage:** https://www.freshbooks.com/

## When to use this skill

Activate this skill when the user explicitly wants to work with **FreshBooks** — for example, "create an invoice in FreshBooks" or "reconcile payments in FreshBooks". This skill teaches the agent:

1. Which Apideck unified API covers FreshBooks (Accounting)
2. The correct `serviceId` to pass on every call (`freshbooks`)
3. FreshBooks-specific auth and coverage caveats

For the full method surface (parameters, pagination, filtering), use your language SDK skill:

- [`apideck-node`](../../skills/apideck-node/), [`apideck-python`](../../skills/apideck-python/), [`apideck-dotnet`](../../skills/apideck-dotnet/), [`apideck-java`](../../skills/apideck-java/), [`apideck-go`](../../skills/apideck-go/), [`apideck-php`](../../skills/apideck-php/), or [`apideck-rest`](../../skills/apideck-rest/)

For the raw OpenAPI spec:

- **Accounting:** [https://specs.apideck.com/accounting.yml](https://specs.apideck.com/accounting.yml) · [API Explorer](https://developers.apideck.com/api-explorer?id=accounting)

## Minimal example (TypeScript)

```typescript
import { Apideck } from "@apideck/unify";

const apideck = new Apideck({
  apiKey: process.env.APIDECK_API_KEY,
  appId: process.env.APIDECK_APP_ID,
  consumerId: "your-consumer-id",
});

// List invoices in FreshBooks
const { data } = await apideck.accounting.invoices.list({
  serviceId: "freshbooks",
});
```

## Portable across 34 Accounting connectors

The Apideck **Accounting** unified API exposes the same methods for every connector in its catalog. Switching from FreshBooks to another Accounting connector is a one-string change — no rewrite, no new SDK.

```typescript
// Today — FreshBooks
await apideck.accounting.invoices.list({ serviceId: "freshbooks" });

// Tomorrow — same code, different connector
await apideck.accounting.invoices.list({ serviceId: "access-financials" });
await apideck.accounting.invoices.list({ serviceId: "acumatica" });
```

This is the compounding advantage of using Apideck over integrating FreshBooks directly: code against the unified Accounting API once, gain access to every connector in it. New connectors Apideck adds become available to your app without code changes.

## FreshBooks via Apideck Accounting

FreshBooks is a US/CA SMB-focused cloud accounting platform geared toward service-based businesses and freelancers. Solid coverage via Apideck for invoicing and AP/AR workflows.

### Entity mapping

| FreshBooks entity | Apideck Accounting resource |
|---|---|
| Invoice | `invoices` |
| Bill (Expense) | `bills` |
| Payment | `payments` |
| Bill Payment | `bill-payments` |
| Journal Entry | `journal-entries` |
| Account | `ledger-accounts` |
| Client | `customers` |
| Vendor | `suppliers` |
| Item | `invoice-items` |
| Tax | `tax-rates` |
| Credit | `credit-notes` |
| P&L, Balance Sheet | `profit-and-loss`, `balance-sheet` |

### Coverage highlights

- ✅ CRUD on invoices, bills, payments, clients, suppliers, items
- ✅ Journal entries
- ✅ Financial reports (P&L, Balance Sheet)
- ✅ Tax rates (FreshBooks multi-jurisdiction support)
- ⚠️ Time tracking, projects — not in unified Accounting API; use Proxy
- ❌ Estimates, recurring invoices — use Proxy
- ❌ Team management — separate FreshBooks surface

### Auth notes

- **Type:** OAuth 2.0, managed by Apideck Vault
- **Business ID binding:** each connection is bound to one FreshBooks business. Multi-business = multi-connection.
- **Scopes:** FreshBooks scopes are business-wide; the user authorizes read/write on their behalf during the Vault flow.
- **Classic vs new FreshBooks:** Apideck targets FreshBooks New (the modern API). Classic is sunset.

### Example: create an invoice

```typescript
const { data } = await apideck.accounting.invoices.create({
  serviceId: "freshbooks",
  invoice: {
    customer_id: "client_123",
    invoice_date: "2026-04-18",
    due_date: "2026-05-18",
    line_items: [
      { description: "Consulting", quantity: 10, unit_price: 150 },
    ],
    currency: "USD",
  },
});
```

## Escape hatch: Proxy API

When an endpoint isn't covered by the Accounting unified API, use Apideck's Proxy to call FreshBooks directly — Apideck injects auth headers and handles token refresh. Set `x-apideck-downstream-url` to the target endpoint on FreshBooks's own API:

```bash
curl 'https://unify.apideck.com/proxy' \
  -H "Authorization: Bearer ${APIDECK_API_KEY}" \
  -H "x-apideck-app-id: ${APIDECK_APP_ID}" \
  -H "x-apideck-consumer-id: ${CONSUMER_ID}" \
  -H "x-apideck-service-id: freshbooks" \
  -H "x-apideck-downstream-url: <target endpoint on FreshBooks>" \
  -H "x-apideck-downstream-method: GET"
```

See [FreshBooks's API docs](https://www.freshbooks.com/api/start) for available endpoints.

## Sibling connectors

Other **Accounting** connectors that share this unified API surface (same method signatures, just change `serviceId`):

[`access-financials`](../access-financials/) *(beta)*, [`acumatica`](../acumatica/) *(beta)*, [`banqup`](../banqup/) *(beta)*, [`campfire`](../campfire/) *(beta)*, [`clearbooks-uk`](../clearbooks-uk/) *(beta)*, [`digits`](../digits/) *(beta)*, [`dualentry`](../dualentry/), [`exact-online`](../exact-online/), and 25 more.

## See also

- [Accounting OpenAPI spec](https://specs.apideck.com/accounting.yml) · [API Explorer](https://developers.apideck.com/api-explorer?id=accounting)
- [`apideck-connector-coverage`](../../skills/apideck-connector-coverage/) — programmatic coverage checks
- [`apideck-best-practices`](../../skills/apideck-best-practices/) — architecture, Vault, pagination, error handling
- [`apideck-node`](../../skills/apideck-node/) — TypeScript / Node SDK patterns
- [FreshBooks official docs](https://www.freshbooks.com/api/start)